This Sunday will be unlike any gameday in Cade Otton’s NFL career.
For the first time since being drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 106th overall in the 2022 NFL Draft, Otton will play in his home state against his hometown team with plenty of people close to him that could be in attendance.
The Tumwater High School and University of Washington alum will join his Tampa Bay brethren taking on the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday afternoon for a 1:05 p.m. local time kick at Lumen Field.
“I’m super excited for the opportunity,” Otton said.
Donning a Tumwater t-shirt, Otton sat down with The Chronicle for an exclusive zoom interview on Thursday afternoon. Here is a Q&A rundown of the conversation with Otton, in its entirety.
Question: How are you feeling about this week? I know every week you want to approach it the same, but I’m sure this one comes with a little more excitement, right?
Answer: Oh definitely. I grew up a Seahawks fan and there’s a lot of excitement with friends and family in town. I’m really looking forward to it and just being back in Washington always is fun and exciting. I talk about it all the time with my teammates, so it’s going to be fun for them to see it. Just excited to play the game I love in the place I love.
Q: Obviously you’re going to have a lot of family and friends (in attendance). How does that add into everything of playing in front of people that haven’t seen you play since being drafted?
A: So many people were so pivotal in my journey to get to this point. Being a part of my upbringing or my football career. Just getting the opportunity to play close to them and for people to watch, it’s really important to me.
Q: Is there going to be a lot of emotions for you personally because it is going to be our first time playing back home without your mom. How is that emotional piece going to impact you?
Context: Sally Otton, Cade’s mom, passed away in 2022 after battling Parkinson’s disease.
A: I think about her before every game and every day. I don’t know, it’s hard to tell if it'll be exceptional in that way. Just kind of see when we land and game time approaches.
Q: Overall this season, three fourth quarter comebacks. How’s the vibe and energy around this locker room? Does this year feel any different and have that team-wide clutch gene?
A: All that said, we know we haven’t played our best football yet. To be at a point where we;ve played some good teams and we're 3-1, that’s great, but we’re also taking it week-by-week, opponent-by-opponent. Just trying to put together a full four quarters of the football we’re capable of. We know the talent we have in that locker room, we have a ton of confidence in our coaches and the plans we put together. It comes down to putting our best foot forward each and every week and there’s no better week than this one.
Q: What is the best memory you had as a Tumwater Thunderbird?
A: Oh man, there’s a lot of good ones. The things I look back on most fondly (are) the summer workouts, shoutout to Coach Rick McGrath, he would have us working early mornings during the summer. Those moments as a team when you’re obviously you;re trying to get stronger and faster, but you’re also suffering together. So fun to look back on and doing hard things with guys you grew up with, your best friends, in order to get ready for the season and having a ton of pride. Being a part of the program for so long, being a water boy, then a ball boy, attending all the summer camps. It is hard to encapsulate it in one memory; I enjoyed all of it.
Q: What’s one thing you absolutely will do as soon as you’re back home?
A: I want to be outside as much as possible. I do like Tampa a lot, but I miss the weather in Washington, I miss the mountains. The mountains are huge, I love seeing the mountains and the hills. That’s the biggest thing and seeing family of course.
Q: Who is the funniest teammate in Tampa Bay?
A: We have a ton of fun characters on the team. I’ll say Sterling Shepard.
Q: What is your pre-game routine?
A: I usually get to the stadium three hours before kickoff. There’s a group of us, we get dressed and we go out onto the field in our bare feet, walk out there and we toss lacrosse balls. Play the name game with the four lacrosse balls in a circle. We hold our breath, walk like 30 yards and then walk into the locker room. Start rolling out, get ready to warm up and stretch. I tape my fingers, tape my wrist, write a little thing on my wrist in a bible verse, write something my mom would say; she’d say play hard, have fun, love you.
Q: What is your favorite bible verse?
A: 2 Corinthians 4:7… We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. It is my favorite.
Q: What is your pre-game meal?
A: Usually a simple carb and protein. I’m not super religious about what I eat before a game or a specific routine.
Q: Do you eat anything during the game or at halftime to replenish yourself?
A: Stinger waffles and some applesauce. Easy carbs, some sort of fruit.
Q: Are you jealous that (Emeka Egbuka) gets to come back his rookie year and you had to wait four years to play in Seattle?
Context: Egbuka is a Steilacoom native and just won NFC Offensive Rookie of the Month.
A: A little bit, but also this feels so special to me since I had to wait so long.
Q: What is the best piece of advice you could give to high school football players that want to be in your shoes and play in the NFL?
A: There’s a few things: Work hard, take the opportunities when you have them and be a good teammate. The rest will take care of itself.
Q: How much do you pride yourself on being a good teammate?
A: That’s one of my top-two focuses. Doing my job well is part of that, being accountable for myself to the team. That’s my number one priority coming into this building is being a good teammate and doing whatever I can to help my team win.
Q: Who throws a faster ball: (Tom) Brady or Baker (Mayfield)?
A: Probably Baker
Q: Who would say has been the biggest influence for you since you joined the NFL?
A: Cameron Brate was a huge influence. I was just with him my rookie year, but he was an awesome teammate. Super willing to answer any questions I had. Him and his wife were so welcoming to me and my wife. Having him as a mentor and resource my rookie year was huge.
Q: Best part of being a dad?
A: Oh man, I'd say it is challenging in a good way. You learn to be more selfless and less selfish. That is probably the best thing.
